It Started Out Bad
by suzie2b
Summary: Life doesn't have any hands, but it can sure give you a slap sometimes.


**Disclaimer:** _ **The Rat Patrol**_ **is not my property. They come out to play sometimes, then I send them home.**

 **It Started Out Bad**

 **By Suzie2b**

 **Bad morning—Major argument with Charley.**

 **Charley looked up at her husband as she pulled on her left boot. "What's that supposed to mean?"**

 **Tully put his utility belt on and started tying the string around his thigh to hold the sheath in place. "I just don't like you flirting with guys on base, that's all. It's dangerous."**

" **Flirting? I haven't flirted with anyone."**

" **That's not what I hear."**

 **Okay—wrong thing to say.**

 **Charley stood up and frowned at him. "I don't care what you've heard! I don't go flirting willy-nilly around this or any other base!"**

 **Tully sighed. "I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea about you, that's all."**

 **Another wrong thing to say.**

" **Wrong idea? I pick up and drop off reports, packages, and requisitions. I smile and say hello as I go. That's being friendly, not flirting!" Tully opened his mouth to say something, but Charley cut him off with, "People are saying I'm some kind of floozy, aren't they?"**

" **Of course not! It's just…"**

 **Charley grabbed her jacket and satchel. "Just because I'm a nice person doesn't mean I have loose morals!" And with that she left the apartment, slamming the door behind her.**

 **Tully stood there staring at the door. "What just happened?"**

 **##################**

 **Bad afternoon—Jeep breaks down.**

 **The jeep sputtered to a stop. They were in the middle of nowhere—approximately 120 kilometers from base. Tully put the hood up and started looking at the engine.**

 **Troy growled angrily, "You said that problem had been fixed!"**

 **Tully sighed. "The mechanic told me it was."**

" **And you didn't check it before we left?"**

" **It was runnin' fine when we left."**

 **Troy snapped, "We're in the open here and running late, Pettigrew. Start working on it."**

 **Tully started going through the checklist he carried in his head. Going methodically over everything and mumbling as he worked.**

 **Hitch stepped over. "Need some help?"**

" **It's not the same problem as before. The sound the engine was making is different this time. Besides, the mechanic said he changed out the bad part."**

" **Maybe it's the transmission."**

 **Tully nodded. "Could be. Why don't you check it out?"**

 **Hitch grabbed a couple of tools. "Everything all right at home?"**

" **Yeah, why?"**

 **Hitch started to wriggle under the jeep. "I saw Charley over at headquarters this morning. She didn't look too happy about something."**

 **Tully said, "Oh … we had a bit of an argument."**

" **Anything serious?"**

" **No. Yes. I don't know. I heard some rumors that Charley's been flirting with some of the guys while she's making deliveries. All I wanted to do was warn her to be careful. Some of them are likely to get the wrong idea."**

 **Hitch said, "Nothing wrong with that. You're just concerned for her welfare."**

 **Tully sighed. "Somehow it went from 'concern for her welfare' to 'having loose morals because she's nice to people'. I guess I didn't handle the conversation very well."**

" **I'm sure you'll work it out."**

 **Moffitt walked over to check the progress. "How's it going, Tully?"**

" **It's goin', sarge. But we haven't found the problem yet."**

" **Well, I suggest you do your best to hurry things along. Troy's mood is quickly going downhill."**

 **Two hours later, the problem was found and fixed. However, it was too late for Troy's mood.**

 **##################**

 **Bad night—Cold and on watch.**

 **Because of Troy's bad mood over the jeep breaking down, and because it happened to have been Tully's jeep that had broken down after being "fixed", the sergeant gave the private the task of cooking dinner, plus cleanup, as well as a double shift on watch.**

 **Tully accepted his punishment silently, even though he didn't think it was fair. He wasn't about to make things worse by arguing.**

 **After dinner and cleanup, Tully had trudged out to start he watch. Moffitt watched him go and said to Troy, "You were a little rough on him, don't you think? After all, the jeep breaking down wasn't his fault. It was a new and different problem than before."**

 **Troy blew cigarette smoke out of his nose and mouth as he frowned. "That jeep is his responsibility. He knows he should have checked it before we left this morning."**

 **Hitch cautiously said, "He did, sarge. I was there. He checked over both jeeps while I took care of the radiators and gas. We do our best to keep things running, sarge, but sometimes things just happen."**

" **The two hours it took to fix it made us late. We missed the hit on that German convoy when they were making their pick up. He'd better hope we're able to catch it tomorrow and blow the fuel and supplies it's carrying."**

" **Boy, Tully's really has had a bad day."**

 **Troy huffed, "** _ **He's**_ **had a bad day?"**

 **Hitch nodded. "He and Charley had a fight this morning. They weren't on good terms when we left. Then the new problem with the jeep…"**

 **Troy glared at the private, but remained silent.**

 **##################**

 **A new day.**

 **Redemption—How to say you're sorry without really saying it.**

 **The desert air at night was cold and Tully shivered as he leaned against a tree. His double shift was nearly over and he felt exhausted after the day he'd had.**

 **Tully saw a dark shape walk up the hill in his direction. Troy stopped next to him and stood there silently. Tully finally said, "I've still got forty minutes, sarge."**

 **Troy said, "Go on down and get some sleep. We need to head out at first light if we're going to catch that convoy."**

" **Okay. I'll get a couple hours then make sure the jeeps are ready to go."**

" **I had Hitch check the radiators and fill the gas tanks before he went to sleep. I'm sure after the work you did yesterday your jeep will be fine. Hitch can check his when he gets up. Just get some sleep."**

 **##################**

 **Redemption—How to say you're sorry.**

 **It was late afternoon when the Rat Patrol returned to Ras Tanura. Their mission had been a success. That was one shipment of supplies the Germans wouldn't be using.**

 **Tully let himself into the apartment and found it empty. Or so he thought. He heard a noise come from the closet and out walked Charley. She looked at him in surprise and said, "I didn't hear you come in."**

 **Tully pushed the door shut with his foot. "I'm sorry. I didn't handle things very well the other morning."**

 **Charley said softly, "No, you didn't." She saw the sad look on his face and continued, "And neither did I. I thought about it a long time before I realized what you were trying to tell me. I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions."**

" **And I realize I shouldn't listen to rumors. I just want to be sure you're safe … or at least as safe as possible out here." Tully looked at her with a slight smile. "Are we good?"**

 **Without a word Charley ran across the small apartment and leaped into his arms. After a passionate kiss, she whispered in his ear. "I love you, Tully Pettigrew."**


End file.
